The Coast Guard Investigative Service out of the Coast Guard Yard at 2401 Hawkins Point Road in Curtis Bay called police Tuesday in reference to a fraud scheme being conducted by 28-year-old Sterling Orlando Scott, a recently discharged military member.

Detectives began investigating and collaborating with Coast Guard special agents.

CGIS agents said a chief warrant officer told them that around 1 p.m. Tuesday a phone call was received from a person who identified himself as Sgt. Major Reese from Army Emergency Relief.

The person claiming to be Reese said he had an Army member flying to Baltimore who needed emergency travel assistance. In addition, Reese contacted the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Program in Curtis Bay asking for help for a soldier named Orlando Scott, whose wife was reportedly killed in a car accident. Police said the person calling was believed to be the same person posing as Reese.

CGIS agents had developed information that the person posing as Orlando Scott was actually Sterling Orlando Scott.

On Thursday, Scott showed up at the Hawkins Point Road facility to receive funds approved for his alleged crisis.

"They also mentioned that the money wasn't going to be coming in quick enough from the Red Cross so could they expedite it. They (military authorities) were a bit suspicious of it. We got involved in the investigation," Anne Arundel County police spokesman Lt. T.J. Smith said.

When Scott arrived and signed for the $2,500 in funds, he was arrested.

"Our detectives went over and set up a sting operation essentially and allowed him to come there and tell the story that he told on the phone. He received the funds and our officers were able to arrest him and charge him with fraud related to this case," Smith said.

Police said the funds Scott tried to collect are provided to active military members. Scott was discharged from the military in November.

"As the holiday season approached, allegations of defrauding a non-profit group are even more disturbing," U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson Chief Nick Cangemi said. "CGIS has opened an investigation into the matter and is working closely with our local and state partners to ensure a thorough and complete investigation is conducted."

"It's a felony theft that he’s dealing with right now and fortunately enough, we were able to stop him and stop this fraud he was participating in," Smith said.

Scott, 28, of Chesapeake, Virginia, was charged with theft, fraud and document use to imply government association.

CGIS agents said Sterling Orlando Scott had committed similar schemes under the Orlando Scott name at military installations in Galveston, Texas; Yorktown, Pennsylvania; Savannah, Georgia and Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

"And our investigation is still ongoing. We’re still working with U.S. Coast Guard. They're working with us in turn to continue to put this case together and to find out again, how widespread was this man and incidents out there in the rest of the country," Smith said.